Wushi Sesame

Wushi Sesame

　　Sesame is predominantly grown in southern regions, where soil and geographical conditions are especially crucial as it thrives in sunlight and dislikes water. The Lufeng Wushi area is hilly, boasting uniquely favorable geography. Therefore, although it may not be entirely unique, the sesame produced here is undoubtedly top-quality. Wushi sesame is glossy, round, black in color, with thin skins and plump white interiors. The shiny sesame grains resemble tiny black pearls. As is well known, black sesame is highly nutritious, containing large amounts of fat and protein, as well as carbohydrates, vitamin A, vitamin E, lecithin, calcium, iron, chromium, and other nutrients. Black sesame has high medicinal value—it nourishes liver and kidney, enriches essence and blood, moistens intestines, and also has remarkable effects on beauty and darkening hair. Modern medical research confirms that patients with gallstones always have insufficient lecithin in their bile. Regular consumption of black sesame can help prevent and treat gallstones, while also improving brain function, enhancing intelligence, and prolonging life. It is indeed a health product commonly used by middle-aged and elderly people. Due to these many benefits, sesame is increasingly favored by consumers.

　　Sesame is often used by locals in Haifeng and Lufeng to make savory tea. In fact, sesame has great potential. I believe a series of shining brands can be built around it. Sesame can be made into sesame candy, sesame paste, and sesame beverages. The former two have long existed, but sesame beverages are not yet available on the market. Sesame is rich in nutrition, quenches thirst, and contains multiple elements beneficial to the human body.

　　Special Product Anecdotes

　　It is said that in the late Southern Song Dynasty (February 1279), when the Yuan army invaded and the Song court fled south, Emperor Duanzong of Song and Lu Xiufu escaped to the Wushi Village area in Lufeng, staying at the home of a farming family surnamed Lin. At the time, the people were impoverished, with lives made miserable by hunger and destitution. It happened to be a lean season between harvests, and Emperor Duanzong couldn’t even get a proper meal. The emperor, who had once tasted all delicacies from mountains and seas, couldn’t stomach peasant food. One day, Auntie Lin made sesame paste for her grandson and made an extra bowl for the emperor. The emperor, seeing the black sesame paste, frowned and asked, “What is this? How can something so dirty be eaten?” Auntie Lin replied, “It’s sesame paste.” The rich aroma of the sesame paste wafted into the emperor’s nose—a fragrance he had never encountered even among the finest dishes in the palace. Unable to resist the enticing smell, the emperor finally picked up the bowl. He scooped a little with his spoon, put it in his mouth, and immediately exclaimed, “This is delicious!” He finished the bowl within just a few spoonsful and then called out, “Another bowl please. Wushi sesame is absolutely unparalleled, one of a kind!” Auntie Lin answered, “There’s none left.” The emperor said regretfully, “Sister, make me sesame paste every day from now on.” Auntie Lin shook her head with a wry smile, wanting to say something but holding back. The emperor, confined in the palace, knew nothing of the people’s hardships. He noticed Auntie Lin feeding her four-month-old grandson and asked, “Where is the child’s mother?” At this question, tears streamed down Auntie Lin’s face. Wiping her tears, she said, “She… she died less than ten days after giving birth. This poor child has been kept alive by… by sesame paste—it saved his life…” The emperor looked at the child and responded to Auntie Lin, “He’s a good child, his fate isn’t bitter. Look how bright-eyed and bushy-tailed he is, with big ears and a wide mouth—he’s the face of fortune, he’ll surely amount to something in the future!” Hearing the emperor’s words, Auntie Lin finally broke into a smile. Later, the child fulfilled the emperor’s prophecy and indeed became successful, growing into a wealthy merchant, prosperous and influential in the region.